NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-31-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: June 1, 2025

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Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's been talking about, or catch the show that the internet can't get over? At the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we chase that feeling four times a week. We'll serve you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, and more. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, catch the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. stuff in between, catch the pop culture happy hour podcast from NPR. Janine Herbst Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. The European Union says it's prepared to impose counter-tariff plans. Now that President Trump doubled his tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent. An EU spokesperson says

they had paused their planned tariffs in hopes of reaching an agreement. Terri Schulz has more. A spokesperson for the European Union's executive says the bloc strongly regrets Trump's decision to raise tariffs on steel imports from 25 to 50 percent. The decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, the spokesperson said in a statement. They added that this move also undermines ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated solution, which was the reason the EU decided in April to hold off imposing its own tariffs.

But now the spokesperson says the European Commission is finalizing its decisions on countermeasures and will put them into effect on July 14th or even earlier if, in their words, no mutually acceptable solution is reached. For NPR News, I'm Terri Schultz in Brussels. The Trump administration is facing criticism from Jewish civil rights leaders over its pick to lead a government agency that enforces ethics laws. And here's Tom Dreisbach has more. President Trump announced that he is nominating Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel. That's a government agency that protects government whistleblowers and

makes sure government employees follow ethics rules. Ingracia is 30 years old and graduated from law school in 2022. He also has ties to multiple anti-Semitic extremists. Ingracia has repeatedly praised the self-described misogynist influencer Andrew Tate, who has promoted Holocaust revisionism. The Anti-Defamation League told NPR that Ingratia's nomination, quote, undermines ongoing efforts to combat anti-Semitism at this critical moment. The White House said it stands by Ingratia dismissing the criticism as a smear campaign. Tom Dreisbach, NPR News.

Millions of Americans are under alert for compromised air quality this weekend because of out-of-control wildfires ravaging the forests of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Imperator Alana Wise has more. Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota have all issued air quality alerts for their residents. This comes as 17,000 Manitobans have been forced to flee their homes, as dangerous fires cut through the province's prized wildlands. The evacuation effort is the largest in recent history for Manitoba. These fires come on the heels of two consecutive years of devastating wildfire seasons. In all three affected states, experts warn that the air quality is unsafe

for people like children and the elderly. In Minnesota, which is projected to be the hardest hit, the air quality will be reduced to the point of danger for sensitive groups and some members of the general public. Alana Wise, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Hamas says it will release 10 living and 18 deceased hostages still held in Gaza, this in response to the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire. Earlier this week, special envoy Steve Witcock proposed that deal, which includes a 60-day

ceasefire. Israel accepted it, but it's not a done deal because Hamas is seeking other demands according to Israeli and Arab media reports, including comprehensive withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a permanent end to the war. More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the war began nearly 20 months ago when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing about 1,200. When people get a scratch or an infection, the body responds better if it happens during the day. And Piers Burleigh McCoy reports

on how the immune system tells time. Scientists have known that many cells in the immune system have built-in circadian clocks, genes that tell them to respond differently depending on the time. But scientists weren't quite sure how the immune system was telling time. To figure it out, researchers used baby zebrafish, which are transparent, with modified immune cells that give off fluorescent light. The team exposed the fish to fluorescent bacteria and watched how the immune cells responded

when it was light or dark. During the day, the immune cells killed bacteria faster, but when researchers cut out certain circadian clock genes from the immune cells killed bacteria faster, but when researchers cut out certain circadian clock genes from the immune cells, they lost that ability. This knowledge could allow scientists to rally immune cells to respond to a bad infection. They published their findings in the journal Science Immunology.

Burleigh McCoy, NPR News. And I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Imagine if you will, a show from N and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.